Today we welcome author Darshana Khiani to talk about her journey to becoming a published author and how writing her new book, I’m An American, illustrated by Laura Freeman (Viking, May 2, 2023) presented very different challenges from her debut picture book, How to Wear a Sari,
Continue Reading Author Interview: Darshana Khiani on Finding a Structure to Tell Your Story »
By Sandra Nickel & Kathi Appelt
Spotlight image: Sandra Nickel and Kathi Appelt talking at the Château de Chillon in Switzerland in 2019, photo by Ken Appelt.
After receiving her MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts, Sandra Nickel studied an extra semester with Newbery Honoree and two-time National Book Award Finalist,
By Lindsey Lane
On January 5, 2022, Betty X Davis vacated her seat at the front row of our BookPeople launches. At one hundred and six years old, still quoting Shakespeare at length and spouting snippets of French, it seemed like she might live forever. But alas, she slipped away, quietly, as one does when they’ve been to an excellent party,
By Chris Barton and Jennifer Ziegler
Time is everything.
We know that’s not quite how the old saying goes. But time — the scarcity of it, the abundance of it, the passage of it, how we choose to fill ours or ask others to spend theirs — has shaped all aspects of our new kidkit video series,
By Kathi Appelt
This interview includes plot spoilers for Sisters of the Neversea by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Heartdrum, June 1, 2021). You may want to bookmark and return to it after reading the story.
Cover art by Floyd Cooper (Muscogee); from the promotional copy:
Lily and Wendy have been best friends since they became stepsisters.
Continue Reading Guest Interview: Kathi Appelt & Cynthia Leitich Smith on Rebirth in the Neversea »
Our deepest sympathies to the friends, family, colleagues, and readers of Texas children’s author and poet Jerry Wermund, who died July 15 at age 94. He’s pictured above at a Texas Library Association conference.
A founding member of Austin’s SCBWI chapter, Jerry was a geologist who began writing for children after retiring from the Bureau of Economic Geology at The University of Texas at Austin.
Today I’m excited to interview two fellow Vermont College of Fine Arts graduates, Tami Lewis Brown and Debbie Loren Dunn about their new nonfiction picture book, Instructions Not Included, illustrated by Chelsea Beck (Disney-Hyperion, 2019).
Congratulations on Instructions Not Included! It’s a fun and inspiring book.
Continue Reading Co-Authors Interview: Tami Lewis Brown & Debbie Loren Dunn »
Bethany Hegedus is an award-winning writer and a tireless champion of encouraging others to push beyond their fear and obstacles. I’m very excited to share Bethany’s insight on tackling tough subjects and writing from the heart with Cynsations readers!
Her newest book, Rise: From Caged Bird to Poet of the People,
Continue Reading Author Interview: Bethany Hegedus on Crafting Picture Book Biographies With Heart »
I’m thrilled to introduce two debut authors to the Cynsations audience today. I met both at Vermont College of Fine Arts several years ago while we were all working on MFAs in Writing for Children and Young Adults. Both write middle grade, but their books are very different, illustrating the depth and diversity that exists in children’s literature.
Continue Reading New Voices: Meredith Davis & Nicole Valentine On Being An Author »
Cynsations Note: This is the first in a series of posts highlighting the upcoming SCBWI Europolitan Conference, set for May 4 and May 5 in Zurich, Switzerland.
Today’s post features faculty members Naomi Colthurst, editor at Penguin Random House Children’s, as well as authors Kathi Appelt and Chitra Soundar.